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"The Haunting" is not the only thing that's haunted!

Top Ten Filmsfor Fourth Week of July The film "The Haunting" topped the charts and it personified the kind of summer it's been for movies for they have been "haunting" the good taste and moral turpitude of those seeking wholesome entertainment. Other than "Muppets from Space" movie which dropped out of the Top Ten this week, there's not a lot of fare worth seeing. This is evident as we scan the list from the new Disney entry "Inspector Gadget", a nonsensical farce that insults our intelligence to that atrocious excuse for a teen-flick "American Pie" whcih came in third followed by another slease-filled art film with no redeeming quality "Eyes Wide Shut" and the moronic Big Daddy which finished number five this week. Finishing sixth was "Lake Placid" then "Wild Wild West", "Tarzan", "The Wood" and the megahit Star Wars' "Episode One - The Phantom Menace" just barely staying in the Top Ten for the tenth consecutive week. Oh where, oh where is there quality in films? It can truly be haunting. For the Top Ten reviews for the fourth week of July prepared by the NCCB, click on MOVIES AND MORALS

July 25th Medjugorje Monthly Message

Dear children! Also today I rejoice with you and I call you all to prayer with the heart. I call all of you, little children, to give thanks to God here with me for the graces which He gives to you through me. I desire for you to comprehend that I want to realize here, not only a place of prayer but also a meeting of hearts. I desire for my, Jesus' and your heart to become one heart of love and peace. That is why, little children, pray and rejoice over everything that God does here, despite that satan provokes quarrels and unrest. I am with you and I lead you all on the way of love. Thank you for having responded to my call.
For more on Medjugorje, click on MEDJUGORJE AND MORE

Events this weekend in Church History
Sunday we commemorate the death nineteen hundred and thirty-two years ago of the Apostle Saint Peter who was crucified upside down on August 1, 67 A.D. It is the date of consensus from most historians of the early Church. He chose to be crucified upside down after being thrown into prison in chains in Rome. His rationale was that he was not worthy to die in the same manner as his Master. Many believe he was crucified on Vatican Hill in which his blood became the foundation for the Church to which he was appointed the first Pope by Our Lord For other events throughout the centuries that are memorable in Church history this weekend, click on MILLENNIUM MILESTONES AND MEMORIES

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In the world of television, can anything good come out of FOX? The answer is a demonstrative "YES!" In this weekend's editorial, we share with the readers a pleasant surprise that was evident this past Wednesday night when the FOX Television Network, ballyhooing a two-hour program entitled "Signs from God: Science tests Faith" that we feared would be sensationalized and thrown to the wolves of skepticism and derision, but the result was anything but that as we discuss in this weekend's commentary. For the editorial, A remarkable FOX hunt for the truth!, click on CATHOLIC PewPOINT

A Father by any other name should be called "Daddy!" In her column this week, Sister Mary Lucy Astuto points out Who God the Father is. He is our Father, our "Abba"...our "Daddy." The latter term is an affectionate moniker for one who takes care of us as the head of the house. In fact, it is probably the most of affectionate terms for a father. Who could be more affectionate than the One Who created us? That alone is the epitome of affection. Therefore, Sister encourages us to not be afraid to call Him "Daddy" for it is in no way disrespectful but truly from the heart. The more we do this, the more we will remember the Father and call upon Him in this Year of the Father. Too often He is neglected in favor of the Son and the Holy Spirit, but He is just as essential as the first of the Three Persons of the Trinity Whom Jesus always talked about in referring to His Father - "Abba" which translated today means "Dad" or "Daddy." For her column this weekend, Abba! Daddy! click on GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER

LITURGY FOR THE WEEKEND

This weekend we commemorate Ordinary Time while also celebrating in order, the Feast of Saint Peter Chrysologus, Bishop and Doctor of the Church on Friday; the Feast of the main founder of the Society of JesusSaint Ignatius of Loyola on Saturday; the Feast of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church on Sunday even though it is superseded by the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time and Monday's Ordinary Time liturgy and the Feast of Saint Eusebius of Vercelli, Bishop. For the liturgies, readings, meditations and vignettes on all these feasts, click on LITURGY

PRAYERS & DEVOTION

In honor of the Feast of Saint Ignatius of Loyola we present the Preface for the Mass in his honor:

You called St. Ignatius to associate himself with Your Son so that, inflamed with love for him, he would inspire countless souls to seek Your greater glory, to promote greater service to you throughout the world, and to offer Your people a Company marked with apostolic love in Jesus Christ our Lord.

After nearly a quarter of a century in the Roman Curia, Germany's Cardinal Paul Augustin Mayer, O.S.B. now lives out his autumn years in Rome We continue with this special series introducing you to the Princes of the Church. Our eighty-first red-hat we feature, in alphabetical order is Cardinal Paul Augustin Mayer, O.S.B. , the retired Benedictine prelate who headed the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments and the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei" before resigning at the age of eighty. Now 88, this German native is enjoying retirement in Vatican City. He was elevated to the cardinalate by Pope John Paul II at the Consistory of May 25, 1985. For more on Cardinal Mayer, click on COLLEGE OF CARDINALS COLLECTION

"I solemnly tell you the Warning and Miracle foretold shall come to you. But it shall come when you least expect it! Therefore, understand My Words. If you are filled with My Light, My Life and seek My Will above all else, interiorly you shall know the approach of these events so you may prepare the children of My Heart who are not prepared." Those definitive words above come from Our Lord in Message #609 on Holy Thursday on April 13, 1995 to the Hidden Flower of the Immaculate Heart and followed by similar Messages on Good Friday and Holy Saturday during the Easter Triduum in which Jesus reminds us He is the only Hope and we need to place all our trust in Him and be obedient to His Holy Church and be willing to walk our Calvary in order to share in the Resurrection. For Messages 609, 610 and 611, click on "I SOLEMNLY TELL YOU..."

Finally the long-awaited book"I SOLEMNLY TELL YOU..." is NOW available! The much-anticipated 224-page book of ALL the messages to the world imparted to the Hidden Flower of the Immaculate Heart from the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary over five years is finally here! You can finally acquire your own handsome, coffee-table top copy of "I SOLEMNLY TELL YOU..." containing all 632 messages. To find out how, click on Book

The safeguard of Humility They say a picture is worth 1000 words, but the words of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen have been known to launch a thousand images in one's mind, one of the ways this late luminary did so much to evangelize the faith. Because of the urgency of the times and because few there are today who possess the wisdom, simplicity and insight than the late Archbishop who touched millions, we are bringing you daily gems from his writings. The good bishop makes it so simple that we have dubbed this daily series: "SIMPLY SHEEN".

"Those who are loved become kind, ready for service and quick to love others. The humble will then never be overcome by praise; they accept praise to return it to God. Fecit mihi magna, qui potens est, et sanctum nomen ejus 'He Who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name' (Luke 1: 49)."

TOP CATHOLIC OF THE CENTURY NUMBER:

Father George Rutler: a product of the fruits of Cardinal John Newman Today we feature the 95th selection in the countdown of the TOP 100 CATHOLICS OF THE CENTURY. The voters selected Father George William Rutler, a charismatic speaker imbued with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit who converted to Catholicism after several years as an Episcopalian priest. His story is one of courage and total abandonment to God's Holy Will. For more on the 95th selection, click on FATHER GEORGE RUTLER

U.S. Secretary of State meets with Vatican Secretary for Relations with States over progress in Kosovo Acknowledging the past, present and future role of the Vatican's in the peace process in Kosovo, U.S. Secretary of State Madeliene Albright is huddled with Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, Secretary for Relations with States to hammer out the next step in maintaining peace in the former Yugoslavia. For more, click on Secretary to Secretary

Fortune Magazine spews venom against Vatican with yellow journalism that is slanderous

Fortune Magazine has launched an invective, vitrolic, slanderous campaign against the Vatican by committing the major sin of journalism - assuming facts that aren't there and condemning with no proof in regards to a scam manipulated by a priest singlehandedly. Yet they accuse the Holy See of masterminding it. Talk about Catholic bashing! For more, click on Catholic bashing.

Family Research Council poll reveals public won't buy gay rights facade!

A recent poll taken by the Family Research Council illustrates that the majority of Americans don't think gays and lesbians are in the same boat as Blacks, Asians and Hispanic minorities in regard protected legal rights for homosexuality is a lifestyle, not an ethnic culture. The poll also revealed that 80% of those polled believe that gays have cried wolf too often and have not suffered to the degree African Americans and other groups have. Yet, nearly 100% agreed that any kind of violence or harassment of gays is totally wrong and a hate crime that cannot be justified, thus puncturing the argument gays use to try to lobby for more demands. For more, click on gay rights are wrong.

Romania to build new church in honor of the Holy Father

The fruits of the Pope's first visit to Romania early this summer are already paying off. The Romanian diocese has pledged to build a church outside the city of Oradea. Though it will be called Mary, Star of Evangelization, the people are already dubbing it "the Pope's church." It is a tribute both to the Pontiff of Rome and the people of Romania who have suffered so much through the communist persecution. For more, click on new church in Romania.

Pope's Wednesday treatise on hell ignites discussion on the existence of haides

Just as the Holy Father's talk on Heaven last week triggered discussion on the Hereafter, so also his talk this past Wednesday on the existence of hell has sparked discussions of the nether regions among many, including a priest and professor of Fundamental Theology in Florence who confirms what the Pope has said and adds that we cannot ignore hell for by being silent about it we contribute to the evil one's schemes. The people need to know that God does not condemn them, they condemn themselves through their own free will. For more, click on discussion of hell.

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Taken from the Gospel for the Mass on the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time:

"But Jesus said to them, 'They do not need to go away; you yourselves give them some food.' They answered Him, 'We have here only five loaves and two fishes.' He said to them, 'Bring them here to Me.'" Matthew 13: 49-50